Big Ten Network

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The first season of Big Ten men’s hockey is now history. It finished with Minnesota as regular season champs, Wisconsin as tournament champion, and three teams ranked among the nation’s top 12: No. 1 Minnesota, No. 6 Wisconsin and No. 12 Michigan. Continue Reading →

During “Hockey Day in Minnesota” in October, announcing the first seasons of two new college hockey conferences, the MSR sat down with Big Ten Network (BTN) President Mark Silverman and talked about his network’s coverage of women’s sports. “You know what my answer is going to be,” began Silverman, “and I know you know the answer, but I appreciate you letting me answer. Our goal is to represent all of our 12 — soon to be 14 — schools, achieve gender equity…between all of our platforms between men and women, [and] generate profitability and growth. “As of now, the amount of an audience that we can generate for basketball and football, and “The Journey” [a season-long inside look at Big Ten men’s teams in the two sports] make it a financially successful endeavor.”

In case you are not paying close attention, Silverman was essentially saying that women’s sports aren’t a moneymaker for BTN. Men’s sports primarily make the cash register ring like the angel bell on It’s a Wonderful Life, while as far as women’s sports are concerned it’s Simon and Garfunkel — the sounds of silence. Continue Reading →

College sports in recent years have seen conferences either expand or implode both in football and basketball. Now it’s trickled down to men’s hockey. In what organizers called “an unprecedented day of college hockey discussions in the Twin Cities,” last week the two newest men’s hockey conferences held their respective media days September 19. “We’re ready to go in a new season and a new conference,” proclaimed U-M Coach Don Lucia in St. Continue Reading →

Seimone Augustus last week became the first Black female and the third Black athlete to be named the Minneapolis daily newspaper’s annual sportsperson of the year since the recognition began in 1998. The paper’s selection of the Minnesota Lynx superstar simply cosigned what the MSR consistently said all throughout the team’s championship season — Augustus’ shoulders carried them. More importantly, the award hopefully finally quells any lingering doubts on her status as a franchise player. Those of us who have followed her not only in Minnesota but also during her four-year All-American career at LSU fully knew this fact. Augustus has rightfully has earned first-name status in this town along with other transcendent Black superstars: Kirby (Puckett), Kevin (Garnett) and Torii (Hunter). Continue Reading →